Chilling device for processing edible substances



Nov. 1s, 1941.v c. mam-NG' 2,263,072A

5 CHILLVING DEVICE FOR PROCESSING EDIBLEsUs-TAYNCES Filed sept. 12, 1956 l `2 sheets-.sheet 2 vide `homogeneouslyimproved transfer Patented Nov. 18, 1941 Tiss PATENT ori-ics CHILLIN G DEVICE FOR PROCES SING EDIBLE SUBSTANCES Charles Deering, Chicago,l `Ill., assigner of vonehalf to Henry Doering,

Chicago, Ill.`

Application September 12, 1936, Serial No; 100,506

(Cl. (i2-114) compact and self-contained refrigerating unit in 2 Claims.

This invention relates to chilling devices and more particularly to dairy product chilling machines, although it may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

` It contemplates more especially `the provision of improved means for solidifying or hardeningr normally liquid or yplastic substances directly from the churn or other producing' devices.

It has heretofore been the practice of subjecting edible substances such as butter, lard, margarine, and the like to refrigeration prior to packaging or otherwise preparing 4such for eventual consumption. This involves the placement of freshly produced edible substances into a hardening room which requires considerable time for solidifying the substances and maintaining ksuch against deterioration. yNot only is a great deal of time entailed in hardening such substancesfor preservation and sale, butthesebecome unevenly solidified inthat each body proximate to the surface becomes much colder than the interior to the extent that normally plastic edible products such as'butter, lard, margarine, and the like become mottled, non-uniform in texture, and lack homogeneity to the extent that the interiorris not always maintained fresh nor free from deterioration.

One object of the present invention is to ,pro- Lmeans for hardening `plastic edible vsubstances substantially uniformly throughout the body thereof. A

Another object is to provide meansfor hardening successive increments of `plastic products so as to effect their Still another object is to provide improved means for transferring substances towa refrigerated surface for substantial hardening and chilling.

A further object is to provide improved instru- `nlentalitiesfor transferring edible substances to and from a refrigerated rsurface to effect the chilling and hardening thereof for preservation. A still further object is the provision `of an effect the delivery and discharge of normally liquid or plastic edible substances for refrigeration and conversion to a solid state.

Still a further object is to provide means for `uniformly treating successive increments of plas- Vsolidiiication uniformlyy and pan for a chilling machine to bodiment of the present invention.

An additional object is to provide an improved,

cally positioned therein for rotation combination with a substance chilling machine.V

Still an additional object is to provide an improved refrigerated drum for devices of the character mentioned.`

Additionally, a specific object is to provide a chilling drum with self-contained coils for receiving a refrigerant directly from a refrigeration unit to effectively maintain the drum at'a freezing temperature.

Other objects and the following description of an illustrative em- In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view in elevation of a device embodying features of the present invention, parts" thereof being shown in section to clarify the showing.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View of a conveyor device utilized to feed edible substances to the refrigerator roll shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View in elevation taken substantially along line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front detail view in elevation of a scoring devicefor a chilling roll viewedsubstantially from line IV-IV of Figure 1, the chilling roll being shown in dotted outline.

The structure selected for" illustration comprises a frame base I 0 from which extend vertical .beams I I and I2 that are in spaced parallelism for rigidly supporting horizontal beams I3 that serve as a part of the frame structure to constitute an instrumentality support as will appear more fully hereinafter. Ashaft I4 is supported by the horizontal beam members I3 which are provided with split bearings I5-I 6 for journalled support of the shaft I4. The shaft I4 carries a comparatively large cylindrical member such as a closed-end drum I'I that'is xed to the shaft I4 for rotation therewith between the horizontal beam members I3.

The drum I'I presents a large circumferential surface that is refrigerated in any suitable manner as commercial practice may dictate. In this instance, the drum I 'I is refrigerated by providing a comparatively narrow circumferential chamber I8 interiorly thereof owing to the provision of a somewhat smaller open-end vdrum I 9 concentritherewith, it closed ends 20 of the external drum I1. It is to be noted that the refrigerated chamber or space I8 extends around the interior peripheral surface of the external drum I1 to subject such to refrigeration throughout the surface extent thereof. Circular drum enclosing being attached to the advantages will appear from sides attached to the ends 20 of the external drum I1 are preferably though not essentially provided with sheets of insulation material to discourage conduction therethrough so that the cold from the refrigerant passing through the chamber I8 will be more effectively conducted to the peripheral surface of the drum I1 along the exterior of Which the plastic substances adhere for solidication in successive increments as the drum I1 rotates, with the conveyor mechanism feeding the edible substances thereto in a continuity of operations.

To this end, a refrigerant may be supplied to a cooling coil 2| convolutely arranged in and for the entire width of the chamber I3 for communication with an inlet conduit 22 and a discharge conduit 23 connected to the shaft I4 that is partially tubular to present axial passages 24 and 25 proximate to both ends of the shaft I4 for communication with the conduits 22 and 23. It will be apparent, therefore, that any suitable cooling medium may be introduced through the cooling coil 2| to refrigerate the space lI8 with the -conduits 22 and 23 as intermediate connectors. For that matter, the direction of cooling medium flow or the circulation thereof may be reversed, it only being important to bring the cooling medium in heat exchange relation with the peripheral surface of the external drum I1 for conduction of the cold therethrough to maintain such at a freezing temperature for chilling adhering plastic substances in a manner that will appear more fully hereinafter. The cooling coil 2| as Well as the pipes leading thereto may be produced from stainless steel should commercial practice so dictate, and to preclude corrosion of the interior surface of the pipes through which any suitable cooling medium flows, a composition of tin, lead and cadmium is applied thereto by the hot process in a manner common to the art of tinning surfaces.

In the present embodiment, the shaft I4 preferably is provided with couplers 26 fixed to the extremities thereof to enable the connection of the cooling medium supply and return conduits 21-21' thereto as Well as the recirculation of the cooling medium in a manner that is well known in the art. The -cooling medium supply pipes 21-21' serve, in this instance, as conductors to and from the coil 2| of a brine solution that is, in this instance, forced through the drum cooling coil 2| by means of a circulating pump 28 mounted in the line of the conductors 21-21, the drum I1 and the coil 2| being rotated by an electric motor 45. A manually operated valve 3| is provided in the pipe line 21 below the circulating pump 28 to enable the system to be drained and/or shut off.

In the present embodiment, the brine solution is cooled in the tank defined by the chambered base 44 which has brine outgoing and incoming pipes 28-28 extending therein for communication with the pipes 21-21', respectively. The tank cooled brine drawn out through pipe 28 passes through the pipe 21 and is returned through pipe 21 after flowing through the drum refrigerating coil 2| in compartment I8 of the drum I1. These pipes 21-21', ZIV-2B, and the coil 2| constitute a complete brine pipe system. In order to effectively cool the brine in the tank 44 which communicates with the pipes 28'-28, the compressor 32 has its compression cylinder exhaust port 32 communicating with a refrigerant tube 33 that communicates with or constitutes a part of a condenser coil 34. In

order to effectively cool the refrigerant such as sulphur dioxide or methyl chloride in the condenser coil 34', a plurality of fins 35 are transversely `disposed and uniformly spaced on the superposed condenser coils 34', and any suitable form of auxiliary cooling means such as a fan (not shown) driven by the compressor shaft 33 may be utilized to aid in reducing the temperature of the refrigerant confined in and passing through the condenser coil 34.

As shown, the condenser coil 34 terminates in a tube 36' that connects With a refrigerant reservoir or tank 31 mounted on the top of the base 44. The compressed refrigerant is discharged from the reservoir 31 through the tube 38 provided with an expansion valve 39 that communicates with an expansion coil 4U' confined in the interior of and immersed in the brine that substantially fills the tank 44 to refrigerate the brine before being discharged therefrom through the pipe 28. As shown, the discharge end of the expansion coil 40' emerges as at 4I from the tank 44 for connection through a tube 42 to the intake port 43 of the compressor cylinder 44'. It will be observed that the refrigerant expansion coil 40' may be arranged in any suitable manner for immersion in the brine confined in the tank 44 to impart the most effective heat exchange therebetween. This may take a variety of forms depending upon the dictates of commercial practice.

As shown in Figures l and 3, the compressor 32 has a main shaft 33 carrying a multiple pulley 34 having a plurality of belts 35 in frictional engagement with the periphery thereof to extend over and engage the periphery of a pulley 3B carried by the armature shaft 31 of an electric motor 38. The electric motor 38 has its base 39 provided with a pair of stub shafts 4E! and 4I depending therefrom for journaled support in brackets 42 and 43 so that the motor 38 with its mounting shafts 4IJ-4I can be shifted in brackets 42-43 to maintain the desired tension in the belts 35. In this manner, the motor 38 is horizontally adjustable to maintain the proper tension in the multiple belts 35. The brackets 42 and 43 are fixed to a pier 44 carried by the base III which also serves as a mount for the compressor 32 described supra.

Another electric motor 45 is mounted on the base I0 and has a pulley 46 on the armature shaft thereof to drive a belt 41 having frictional peripheral engagement with a pulley 48 carried by a shaft 49 of a speed reducer 5i). The speed reducer 50 is also mounted on the base III and has a comparatively smaller pulley 5I driven by the shaft of the speed reducer 50 to drive a belt 52. The endless belt 52 engages the periphery of a comparatively larger pulley 53 having its axial hub 54 fixed to the shaft I4 to impart comparatively slow counterclockwise rotation (Figure l) to the drum |1.

The substances to be refrigerated are supplied to the peripheral surface of the external drum I1 by an endless conveyor belt 55 which traverses over end pulleys 56 fixed to shafts 51. The shafts 51 are journalled in a conveyor frame unit 58 which is supported by the standards I| and forward standards 58. Intermediate rollers 59 are journalled in the frame unit 58 to support the conveyor belt 55 with the substance to be chilled for conveyance thereon to the exterior of the refrigerated drum |1. The rollers 59 are journalled in notches 5U provided in the upstanding edges of the conveyor frame unit 58 that sup- `yond the conveyor unit 58. transfer -device 61 has its top plate edge 63 in ports the conveyor belt 55. The conveyor belt '5 is actuated for linear displacement so .as to feed the substance in the direction of the drum I1, thereby requiring the end pulleys 58 to rotate in a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 1).

The frame unit 58 has upstanding sides 6I to confine the edible substance on the conveyor belt as it is directed to the drum I1.l The side members 6I are attachedl to upstanding brackets B2 fixed or anchoredto the conveyor frame mem- -ber 58. A pair of confronting blocks 63 are pivotally attached to rods 64 havingcoiled springs in enveloping relation therewith. -The rods B4 with their enveloping springs 65 are positioned in horizontal slots 66 provided in the side members 6I so as `to yieldinglyurge the confronting blocks 63 toward the periphery of the drum I1.

The confronting blocks 63 have inclined converging surfaces that extend to the side members 6I so as to narrow the path of substance movement as the conveyor belt 55 approaches the drum I1.

The springs 65 urge the blocks 63 into engagement with the drum I1 and the converging` surface thereof permits delivery of substances upon the surface of the drum v I1 without any of the substance becoming dislodged from the path of travel. In order to transfer the substance from the conveyor belt 55 to the `periphery of the` refrigerated drum I1 in a uniform layer of any desired thickness, a transfer device or lpan 61 is adjustably spaced from the surface of the drum I1 and adjacentthe conveyor belt 55s@ as to dene the path of travel for the substances be- To'this end, the

scraping engagement with the surface of the conveyor `belt 55. The pan 61 extends rearwardly for a distance sufficient to insure that a uniform layer of the substance will adhere to the periphery of they drum by virtue of its refrigeration suicient to give quick chilling adhesion of the substance thereto. This transfer member 61 has a cold or warm water intake pipe 651` and a discharge pipe 18 which provide a tempering fluid supply to the interior thereof, thereby maintaining the transfer plate 61 at a slightly higher temperature than the surrounding atmosphere, but at a temperature that is considerably above the refrigerated drum I1 to permit the substance to pass thereover without adhesion or frictionso far as the transfer plate '61 is concerned.

The transfer plate 61 merely serves to apply the substance as it is discharged from the conveyor belt 55 to the surface of the drum I1 for adhesion thereto and `displacement thereover without any appreciable frictional reaction. The Y transfer plate 61 is supported in a manner more fully described in my copending application Serial Number 100,505, filed September l2, 1936, which has matured into Patent No.` 2,141,452. The position of the transfer plate 61 with respect to the periphery of the drum I1` predetermines the thickness of the substance layer adhering thereto, this being adjustable as explained in -my copending application and which is movable forwardly or rearwardly with the conveyor unit 58 by means of the lever 1I.

The lever 1I is pivoted for attachment to av shaft 1I having an offset eccentric 12 at each end thereof for attachment to the conveyor belt frame 58. An arcuate guide strap 13 is anchored to the conveyor frame so that the lever 1I is "pivoted relative thereto and may be fastened thereon against movement from any adjusted position. The lever 1I will, thereupon, `move the conveyor frame unit 58 forwardly or rearwardly so as to be positioned closer to or farther from the refrigerated drum I1 to determine the thick- 'ness of the substance layer as it traverses over ing wires 14 are preferably of piano'wire 1 and `normally arcuate in form so .that their extremities will engage the surfaceof the drum I1 ina position in advance of the scraper mechanism which removes the chilled substances as will :appear more fully hereinafter. As shown,V the transverse rod 15v has a pair of depending arms 16 fixed to the extremities thereof to extend over and along the closed ends of the drum I1 (Figure 4). The depending arms 16 are formed integrally with horizontally extending arms 11 that are each pivoted at one extremity thereof to one of the vertical standards II as at 18. The other extremities of the horizontal arms 11 are p'rovided with weights 19 and connected thereto by means of a Wire or other connector 8.8 to normally -gravitate the `scoring wire anchoring rod 15 in a -clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 1).

In consequence thereof, there will always be an urge on the extremities of the scoring wires 14 to effectively separate the chilled substances into strips before reaching the scraper mechanism BI. In order toremove the chilled substance as such rotates with the surface of the drum I1, a chambered scraper mechanism 8l is carried by arms B2 pivoted as at 83 to a plate 84 bridging the vertical standards II so that its sharp edge 85 will be in engagement with the periphery of the drum I1 to remove the chilled substances therefrom. Cold or warm water is continuously circulated through the interior of the scraper mechanism 8l by means of an intake pipe 86 connected therewith, the cold water being discharged through another pipe soas to slightly soften the chilled substances to facilitate its removal from the surface of the drum I1 and providing for its discharge into a conveyor unit 81 mounted by means of brackets 88 to the vertical standards I I.

The conveyor unit 81 has upstanding sides 89 along the width of the drum l1 to receive the chilled substances from the scraper mechanism 8|. The position of the scraper edge 85 is adjusted by links 90 vconnected to the pivoted arms 82, the links 90 having pivotally connected control rods 9I extending through the plates 84 for threaded engagement by adjusting knobs 92. A spring 93 envelops each of the rods Si to maintain the scraper 8| in adjusted position.

So that the temperature of the water circulating through the transfer pan 61 and scraper 8I may be varied, the supply of the tempering water is conducted through hot and cold water supply pipes 94 and 95, respectively. The water supply pipes 94 and 95 communicate with a mixing valve 96 provided to control the temperature of the water in the pipe lines 69 and 86 that preferably though not essentially have a temperature indicator 91 operatively connected therewith (Figure 1). The cold water pipe line 95 also extends for communication with the brine tank 44 to enable replenishing the supply of the brine cooling medium. When unusually cold well water is available and freezing temperatures are not required, the cold water may be supplied direct to the tank 44 in lieu of the brine solution and the direct expansion refrigeration system that is utilized to refrigerate the brine solution. To this end, a manual shut-off Valve 99 is provided between the cold water pipe 95 and its extension 98 that leads to the interior of the tank 44, thereby providing for alternate controls and uses to which the various cooling mediums can most efficiently be put depending upon each installation. Manual shut-off valves IUU-IUI are interposed between the pipe line 94-95 on both sides of the mixing valve 96 and similar shut-off valves H12-|03 are provided in the pipe line 69-83 on both sides of the temperature indicator 91 connected with a pipe which communicates with the mixing valve 96. With this arrangement, the tempering water may be regulated to the various instrumentalities to effect the temperature control thereof. Suitable return pipes are provided to enable the recirculation of the tempering water or the ldischarge thereof so that a continuing supply may be circulated from the hot and cold water supply pipes 94--95 depending upon the dictates of commercial practice.

It is to be noted that the discharge conveyor 81 may convey the chilled substances'to any desired machine for packing, lconversion or wrapping as conditions may require and the particular substance or product may need. Some of the edible substances that are effectively chilled by the instrumentalities described supra are butter, shelled eggs, lard, cottonseed oil, oleo margarine, liquids and plastic edibles that require conversion and preservation. It is worthy of note that should it be desired to soften products or effect their pasteurization, the coil 2l may be utilized for elevating the temperature of the drum l1 so as to pasteurize or otherwise treat the products or substances adhering thereto or applied thereagainst for movement therewith. Instead of having refrigerant pass through the coil 2|, steam may be substituted therefor so as to elevate the temperature of the surface of the drum Il to impart heating qualities to substances to effect their conversion from a plastic or solid to a liquid state depending upon the requirements of commercial practice and the substances to be treated.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a self-contained chilling device of the character described, the combination with means for feeding edible substances along a predetermined path, of a refrigerated surface in said path, means for transferring substances from said feeding means to said refrigerated surface for solidifying the edible substances disposed thereon, cooling medium conducting coils provided adjacent said surface to maintain the latter at refrigeration temperatures, means for imparting movement to said refrigerated surface,

substance scoring means confronting said moving refrigerated surface, means for urging said scoring means toward said refrigerated surface, and means for removing the solidified substances from said refrigerated surface.

2, In a self-contained chilling device of the character described, the combination with means for feeding edible substances along a predetermined path, of a refrigerated surface in said path, means for transferring substances from said feeding means to said refrigerated surface for solidifying the edible substances disposed thereon, cooling medium conducting coils provided adjacent said surface to maintain the latter at refrigeration temperatures, means for imparting movement to said refrigerated surface, substance scoring means confronting said moving refrigerated surface, means for gravitating said scoring means toward said refrigerated surface, and means for removing the solidified substances from said refrigerated surface.

CHARLES DOERING. 

